Pens Points: Into enemy territory

TL;DR

The Pittsburgh Penguins lost both Games 1 and 2 of the playoffs against the Philadelphia Flyers, continuing their struggles at home. They need to win at least one game in Philadelphia to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Key points

Pittsburgh Penguins lost Games 1 and 2 to Philadelphia Flyers
Home playoff struggles persist since 2016 and 2017 championships
Team needs at least one win in Philadelphia to stay in the series

Pittsburgh PenguinsPhiladelphia Flyers

PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 20: Rickard Rakell #67 of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Jamie Drysdale #9 of the Philadelphia Flyers battle for the loose puck in Game Two of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG PAINTS Arena on April 20, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

Here are your Pens Points for this Wednesday morning…

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ recent playoff struggles at home continued with back-to-back losses to the Philadelphia Flyers in Games 1 and 2. Pittsburgh’s home-ice playoff struggles run deeper than this series against their cross-state rival, however. Since winning the Stanley Cup in 2016 and 2017, Pittsburgh has managed just five home playoff wins over nine seasons and now must earn at least a split in Philadelphia to keep the series alive. [PensBurgh] The Penguins now enter Philadelphia for the next two games, but coach Dan Muse said the team remains confident and focused on correcting mistakes rather than panicking. [Penguins] Pittsburgh coaches are rightfully considering lineup and power-play changes ahead of Game 3. The questions now become whether it’s too late to make changes or if the changes will even work against a team that has outright stymied Pittsburgh. []

Q&A

What are the Pittsburgh Penguins' home playoff struggles since 2016?

Since winning the Stanley Cup in 2016 and 2017, the Penguins have only achieved five home playoff wins over nine seasons.

What changes are the Penguins considering ahead of Game 3?

The Penguins' coaches are contemplating lineup and power-play changes to address their performance issues against the Flyers.

How did the Penguins perform in the first two games against the Flyers?

The Penguins lost both Games 1 and 2 against the Flyers, putting them in a challenging position as they head to Philadelphia.